Bassist Matt Thorne feels the Rough Cutt version with singer Paul Shortino is the one people will follow

Bassist Matt Thorne feels the Rough Cutt version with singer Paul Shortino is the one people will follow

Rough Cutt bassist and Platinum Overdose rhythm guitarist Matt Thorne was recently interviewed by Andrew DiCecco for Vinyl Writer Music. Thorne is part of the trio of original Rough Cutt members along with singer Paul Shortino and guitarist Amir Derakh who released the album III via the DDR Music Group back on June 8, 2021. The trio decided to release the album when guitarist Chris Hager and drummer Dave Alford started branding their band as Rough Cutt. You can purchase III on CD via the DDR Music Group’s website and digitally via the record label’s Bandcamp page.

In terms of how long the album III had been in the works, Thorne indicated: “You know what’s funny? When we all decided, “Okay, let’s release some of these songs,” I had to search on my phone for some of this stuff. I had remembered “Bleed.” I remembered Paul sending that song to me in 2017. Not the song, I had played the music, and I sent the song to Paul and he sang something over it. I remembered it in my head, and I had to go back to texts in 2016. There was one thing he sent me in a text; I listened to it, and it was “Bleed.” And I go, “Oh my God, this is a good song!” So, I text Paul, I go, “Do you still have this?” He had deleted it off of his computer, so I had to rework it up and then resend it to him. And for some reason, he didn’t remember any of the lyrics — and he had sent me the lyrics back then, too — so I had them and had saved them. And I sent it back to him and he re-sang it in the studio.”

With respect to how long it took compile enough material for the album, Thorne stated: “Oh, fast. I mean, it took, maybe three weeks. Might have been two. When you set Paul in motion, he’s in motion. Like, he would sing the song, and send it to me. He was in his little camper — or wherever he’s in Vegas — and sending me stuff. I’d send him the music, and he would send me stuff. I would be like, “Paul, this is great. Done.” Whatever is not right, I would fix it. So, that’s how I did it. He would just send me a bunch of vocals and I would go for it. I would send it to Amir and he would do a guitar solo, and send it back to me. Then I had to mix it, and I wanted to mix it well, so I spent my time doing that. I think I spent probably four to five hours on each song. I would send it to Amir and Paul, and they would okay it, so that’s how it went down. I did it really quickly. I don’t like spinning my wheels; I like getting things done and so does Paul. So, between the two of us, that thing got done.”

Thorne was asked whether the trio received any blowback from Hager and/or Alford to which he replied: “No, we didn’t get any blowback. I think the prize is having the singer, honestly. If you have the singer, that’s what people follow. The singer is the focal point of a band. If you don’t have the singer, it better be because he died or because he doesn’t wanna do it anymore. Then you gotta replace him with somebody that’s kinda on the same stature or better. In other words, the version with Paul is going to be the one people are going to follow. And I also think Amir adds a lot, too, because Amir was in Orgy, and sold a million and a half records in Orgy. So, I think that that’s another thing that gives it credibility and value.”

You can read the rest of the interview with Matt Thorne at Vinyl Writer Music‘s website.

Rough Cutt‘s “Bed of Black Roses” single: